Solona 4 - It's Just a Tent
by RoboticHawk
Summary: Zevran's tagging along this strange group trying to save the world, wondering why he's still alive. That mage just confuses him even further.
He watched the female Warden giggle and gush while she browsed the merchant's wares in the middle of the road with the redheaded beauty and the elder mage with magnificent bosom. The rest of the party shrugged and sat down on nearby rocks for a quick break from this grueling march.

He had been watching the beautiful woman closely for few days now and knew the smiles that often graced her soft lips did not quite reach her sparkling eyes. He saw the strained grins, the fleeting grief that passed over her exotic face when the little mageling thought no one was looking.

He watched her now, wondering if the woman was forcing herself to laugh again as he sat a little further away from the rest of the party. No one quite trusted him yet – with good reasons of course.

Zevran was relatively surprised that she even let him tag along in this bizarre party at all. It had been an interesting couple of days, following these wickedly sexy Wardens about.

And while he truly appreciated staring at the beautiful and handsome Wardens – and their ridiculously attractive companions – the threat of them simply killing him at any moment was still very real however.

His gaze swept over the rest of the companions sitting on the rocks quickly, before returning to settle on the female Warden again. While he tried to keep a careful eye on them all, his mind seemed rather insistent on staying on that slender black-haired mage who seemed so sorrowful now and then.

Said woman suddenly turned around, her black eyes locking onto him. How akin those eyes were to Rinna's. How they shimmered, while Rinna's were flat and dead. He allowed a particularly lascivious grin to spread over his face, wondering if his handsome elven face would work on this innocent mage as well. For some strange reason, he did not feel so confident as he usually did while seducing his marks. Of course, her knowing that he was an assassin hired to kill her did mar his chances a little bit.

She stepped over to him, walking quickly until she stood in front him. He looked up at her, arching his brows and waggling them suggestively.

"Zevran!" She sang. It was one of the little things he fancied about this girl – her voice always seemed to sing, instead of simply speaking.

"Here I am; what might you need, dear Warden?" He made his voice airy, his tone dipping salaciously. He had much practice at seducing his marks after all.

Predictably the mage flushed brightly, coughing lightly before plopping down beside him on the rock. He turned his head to face her, allowing his gaze to caress her utterly gorgeous face.

Was she going to toss him out of this ragtag group? Throw him to the bloodthirsty Crows to fend for himself? Was she going to whip him for fun? Or did she just sell him off to that ugly, fat merchant? Truly, he could not even begin to guess at her intentions. Her black eyes sparkled like gems, shrouding her thoughts in deep mysteries.

Sadly he was bound to whatever grisly whims that may seize her fancy, no matter how unimpressed he might be of her wishes. Not so different from his time with the Antivan Crows, he supposed. He dreaded to hear the next words that tumbled out of her alluring lips, grinning wickedly to hide his thoughts.

"Is this too heavy? Too cumbersome?" Her musical voice lilted, her arms pressing thick bundle of cloth into his arms.

"Uh…" he blinked, her unexpected question catching him by surprise. "No, I do not think so?"

He lifted the bundle, staring at it curiously. "No definitely not I would think. This is remarkably light despite its thickness."

"Perfect!" She smiled, and he saw that it actually reached her onyx eyes this time. Zevran had to admit the sight made his heart skip a beat, before returning to its normal rhythm.

Her long slender fingers tapped at the bundle he still held. "That's yours now, Zevran. Pack it up."

He could feel his eyes widening with surprise, though he supposed it was a good way to lower her guards.

"Oh? And what might this be exactly?"

She threw him a curious look, her brows scrunching up.

"Your own tent and a bedroll."

"Tent? You're giving me a tent? What for?" He knew his surprise was making him reckless now. But surely she was joking with him! What would she gain by giving him a tent?

"You're just sleeping next to the campfire by yourself at night. I thought you would like to get your own tent. Do you… like… sleeping on the ground?" The Warden cocked her head, few errant strands of hair escaping her braid as she asked him cautiously.

"No, no I do not. I did not mean to sound ungrateful, Warden. It is just…" He trailed off, truly lost on how he was supposed to continue on.

No one had simply… given him things before, even if it was something as simple as a tent. Not without a cost.

"Just…?" Her piercing gaze didn't waver, and he swallowed before grasping at some words that would likely result in her not killing him.

"I am just surprised that you would even think of me. Thank you, I do appreciate it."

"Sure, though you're going to have to carry your own tent now, just like the rest of us." She chuckled lightly, somehow seeming genuinely pleased.

Why did his comfort at night make her happy? Why did that matter to her at all? Why was it so difficult to figure her out so?

"And before I forget, here you go."

Then she dropped a pouch of something on top of the bundle piled over his arms.

"Your share of the coins. You never asked for it so it slipped my mind till now."

Was this woman trying to fool him?

"My share of coins? You are actually giving me money?" He knew his voice sounded incredulous. And he wasn't faking it.

"We pick up every little bit of loot and treasure all over Ferelden. We are actually kinda rich I think. Or at least that's what Alistair tells me." She grinned.

"Yes, but why are you paying me? You do realize I tried to kill you barely few days ago?"

She shrugged, her smile never faltering from her sinfully enticing lips.

"You're part of my companions now. We share the loot, simple as that. Pack that up, Zevran. And if you want, you can go browse that merchant's wares too before we continue on to Brecilian Forest."

The Warden stood back up and patted at her robes, throwing a last grin at him before stepping away.

"What an intriguing woman, yes?" Zevran murmured to himself.

 _Truly, a shame he was going to kill her._


End file.
